


Imagine Me and You

by Melbell-lings (Melee)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hackers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-07
Updated: 2014-03-07
Packaged: 2018-01-14 21:07:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1278859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melee/pseuds/Melbell-lings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"They call me Ladonia."</p><p>The fact that none of this is real is inconsequential. Eduard likes the departure from the true world, to be free of consequence, swimming in a digital world of his own making.</p><p>(Hackers on opposite sides)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Imagine Me and You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mirradin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mirradin/gifts).



Eduard infiltrates Stor Företag’s main servers. Preliminary research, to discern whether or not they should accept the job.

Slipping past complicated firewalls and complex security is smooth, second nature for a seasoned hacker such as himself. The progression is so easy, Eduard starts to think that maybe all the rumours surrounding Stor Företag are just that.

Suddenly, he’s thrust backwards. Eduard can only sit in his desk chair and watch, watch as his keystrokes are reversed, his html code, once carefully typed, now deleting itself. All his work, rewinding.

But then it goes further than that, past his own line of defence, the impenetrable barriers for his own computer broken. Eduard swears loudly, and has the presence of mind to through a hand over the webcam right before the light flickers on.

His monitor flickers off, dark, then on, with a face. He’s right in front of Eduard, red hair, pale skin and blue eyes scanning back and forth as though he can actually see through.

“Who are you?” Eduard’s speakers pump out. “Show yourself.”

Eduard’s heart is beating a loud tempo. He tries to steady his breathing, hopes the microphones can’t pick it up.

Finally, the face on the other side seems to concede. The monitor blinks back to desktop, with Eduard’s background. Hand never moving from the webcam, Eduard reaches around to unplug his computer. Only then does he breathe freely.

~~~

Eduard pulls his computer apart to scan each bit of hardware individually. It scares him to see his life, his home spilt out on his desk. Even more frightening is the knowledge that someone was able to hack _him_.

Everything checks out, so Eduard gets to work tracing the other hacker’s trail. He came from Stor Företag, that much is certain. Like a watchman that snapped to attention when Eduard tried slipping by, the other hacker attacked.

Eduard wants to go further, see if he can sneak by this sentinel, or else lure him out to play. He wants to prove it was all just a fluke.

Instead, he sets to work creating new firewalls, tougher, more intense security. Eduard always felt fearless behind his screen, able to work the internet and navigate systems with ease. This panic is new, unwanted; it has him on eggshells.

~~~

“I need money for another hard drive.”

Feliks waves him off. “No way. The Stor Företag job fell through. We’re living off ramen and siphoned hydro until a new client comes a-knockin’.”

“It’s _because_ Stor Företagdidn’t work out that I need another hard drive.”

“Freaking out ‘cause your system was hacked?” Toris leans back from his laptop where he’s got the specs of some building open. Eduard is a bit jealous, would take apart their equipment, show _them_ what it’s like to be proven vulnerable. But Feliks would bitch and Eduard would lose in a fight against Toris.

He huffs, asks, “Can I transfer funds from some insane multi-gazillionaire –”

“No,” comes the dual response. “Gazillionaires watch their money the most.” Toris shifts back to his scrutinizing. “Especially the insane ones.”

“And we’re not stealing from anyone poorer than that,” Feliks adds. “’S not right.”

“But it’s a-okay to take info from one corporation and sell it to another?”

“Yeah,” Toris and Feliks say. Feliks finally flicks up from his trashy magazine to Eduard. “Sorry bud, but you’re gonna have to figure this out yourself.”

~~~

Unfortunately, Eduard can’t figure any other way to secure his system besides using more data space than he has available. So when a new job comes in, he pours himself into it, creating a virus that Feliks or Toris will plant, gaining him access to databases worth more than gold, sold for a few pretty pennies to send back home. He wants more equipment, more and more, wants to create a digital fortress that will keep his nightmares at bay.

He’s sure and satisfied with his plan; until notifications pop up, the webcam blinks on, and Eduard’s staring into his blue-eyed tormentor yet again.

The boy on the other side, this phantom hacker, peers at Eduard as he struggles to breathe. Then, to Eduard’s surprise, one corner of his mouth lifts and he says, “You are cleaner than most of them.”

The statement is so out there, it’s all Eduard can focus on. “Huh?”

“Most of those who infiltrate my system.” The hacker points his chin at him. “Even the women appear to not have showered for days.”

“Oh.” Eduard licks his dry lips. “That seems kinda gross, actually.”

“Yes, I would think so, too.” The hacker nods, sagely.

The whole experience seems surreal; Eduard wants to laugh and power down. _That’s enough for one day_ , his mother used to scowl and nag about how his brain was being fried.

Perhaps she was right.

“Who are you?” the hacker asks, and Eduard thinks, why not entertain him?

“Eduard. But you could have just scanned my files, huh?”

The hacker’s eyes widen, and for that brief moment, Eduard regrets putting such an idea in his head.

“That would be...” the image stills completely for a moment, as though the connection had been broken. “Impolite,” he says, moving again.

Something is wrong about the other’s speech, his movements. Instead of backing off, Eduard presses forward. “What’s your name?”

“They call me Ladonia,” and Eduard would snicker, _who’s they?_ but such phrasing seems natural with extreme eyes and shocking hair. There’s even a stripe of paint running across his face, flesh-tone, and naked to the shoulders suggests no shirt, no modesty. Well, Eduard’s been in the game long enough to know it takes all types. He hopes this Ladonia isn’t judging too harshly on his bowl cut, thick glasses and mother-knit sweaters (the only thing to keep the cold at bay in this climate).

“So then, Ladonia.” Eduard’s hand abandons its death-grip on the mouse. He relaxes into a slouch. “I know you followed me back from Stor Företag, and hacked me.” _And I’m still sore over that._ “Though you didn’t open any files or leave some nasty surprise for me. Why not?”

The responding shrug seems exaggerated with bare muscle “You were the farthest anyone ever got. I wanted to meet you.”

Eduard feels a stir of pride in his chest.

Ladonia continues, “It was impressive. It took everything I had to push you out and even more to get into you. I just – You are extraordinary. So very extraordinary.”

A smile flashes across Eduard’s face. He hopes Feliks and Toris will be out a while, because they would most definitely not approve.

~~~

Ladonia saves Eduard, shoots the head off an alien set to shank him, and Eduard whistles. “Nice shot.”

“Was it?” and Eduard has to laugh. He’s become used to Ladonia’s endless questions. Not curiosity, more like innocence (but not that either. Eduard still remembers the first time he asked Ladonia what he wanted to do online. After answering “Skype sex?” Eduard took it upon himself to organize their activities. He doesn’t think Ladonia has many internet friends).

A few more shots to clean the front line, and he and Ladonia are racing into the crashed space shuttle.

He likes imagining shooting things, to pretend that he’s on a mission like Toris and Feliks (although Toris tells him it’s much more boring than all that. It doesn’t matter, they get to get out). The fact that none of this is real is inconsequential. Eduard likes the departure from the true world, to be free of consequence, whether by throwing virtual bombs or swimming in a digital world of his own making.

They’re a good pair, great together. Ladonia seems to be able to master any multiplayer game Eduard presents him. They synch up better than whenever he plays with Feliks, much better than Toris’s rigid action.

Near the end, though, Ladonia’s character just stops. Not behind strategically placed containers, right in the line of fire. Eduard swears loudly, tries to cover him; but they both are shot out steps away from the end goal.

Eduard exits the game, pulls up the window with Ladonia’s head so he can yell at his face. He stops his rant at the image: eyes unblinking, torso unmoving, not breathing. Originally, Eduard assumes it’s a frozen screen he can’t tear his gaze from. Except the picture moves, and Ladonia’s blinking, his shoulders go up with inhale, down with exhale, and he’s asking “Did we win?”

Relief floods Eduard, pushes that niggling feeling to the back of his mind. “No. No, we didn’t. What the hell happened to you just now?”

“Someone tried to hack my system. They did not get as far as you, though.” Ladonia smiles, Eduard frowns.

“Are you ever not at work?”

Ladonia’s eyes open wide. “Work? This is not work. This is my life.”

Now Eduard grins back, “Couldn’t agree more.”

~~~

Ladonia is a weird name, even as a nickname. It should be easy to find, or so Eduard thinks as he Googles his hacker’s accomplishments. He quickly scrolls past pages about some internet sensation with ugly sculptures on the coast. Ultimately, no records of a hacker named “Ladonia” appear. Odds are, he gave Eduard his real name. And that glow in Eduard’s belly gets a little stronger.

(He asks Ladonia, who responds “my dad thought it would annoy my father.” A strange home life explained so, so much.)

~~~

“I’d take it you got that new equipment, huh?”

“Wha-?” Eduard looks up from typing to Ladonia. The warehouse leaves no room for secrets; so in an attempt at privacy, Eduard’s desk faces the wide room, face hidden by monitor, monitor turned from view.

Feliks is out for reconnaissance, and Toris eats a snack in their kitchenette. “You’ve got the same look as when you get a new toy.”

Eduard flushes. By the time they earned enough cash, his biggest threat had become a good friend. “N-No. Just talking to someone, nothing special.”

Now Eduard is the recipient of Toris’s full attention. “Looks like you’re in love.”

Despite the chill, Eduard feels real hot. He hopes to god Ladonia hasn’t chosen that moment to turn the microphones on.

~~~

“Do you want to meet up or something?”

Outside his control, the game window closes and Eduard sees Ladonia, only a screen between them. It really irks him when Ladonia takes full control. Because he is able to.

“Meet up?”, so Eduard explains, “You know, outside of the internet and computers.” He tries for a laugh. “Real life.”

Ladonia just blinks, expression barely changing. “I am confused. I thought this was real.”

A heat erupts and Eduard surges forward, grabs the monitor like he has Ladonia’s face in his hands. He’s prepared to beg forgiveness for such a stupid statement. At the same time, he wants to press the issue, get Ladonia’s response.

“I want –” he swallows. “I want to meet you. I want to see you without this glass in the way. I want to hear you, not through speakers, the real you.” _I want so much_.

“That is impossible.” Probably because Eduard’s pushing too hard, pressing his luck; he can’t stop.

“Where are you right now?” he demands.

“Stor Företag. Eduard, I do not think you understand –”

“Christ, you really do work all the time!” Eduard scoots back. “When are you off? Sweden’s not that far away, I could take a train and be there by noon tomorrow.”

“Eduard.” Ladonia’s never spoken so sharply, with so much emotion. “Eduard,” he repeats, softer this time. “I am Stor Företag.”

~~~

And that is how Eduard discovers the rumours about Stor Företag aren’t just rumours after all. Ladonia tells him the evolution of “Project Ladonia”, of his two fathers, collaborating engineers responsible for Stor Företag’s online security. How they realized the only true protection would be through constant sentient vigilance. How they used Stor Företag’s technology to see how far they could go.

As Ladonia talks, Eduard goes cold. He imagines the Ladonia he can’t go days without seeing trapped on some mainframe, scrambling to get out.

“It is not that bad,” Ladonia responds. “So long as the defences stay intact, I can explore the internet. There are so many things to see!” Eduard tries to mimic Ladonia’s smile, but he can’t help think of the boy forever caught on his computer screen.

“There is one problem, though.” And Eduard leans closer, as if that would bridge the gap between them. “You mentioned before your reason for hacking my system was based on reports of Stor Företag having a secret AI program. Of course, the heads have heard that, too.” Ladonia seems even farther away. “So they are destroying all evidence.”

Ladonia keeps talking through the succeeding silence, through the ringing in Eduard’s ears. “While encouraged internally, the AI program is not exactly legal. I can access Stor Företag files at any time; I was the first to know. The reason why I chased you down, Eduard, is because I wanted to meet someone from the outside. Someone who could show me new things, give me new experiences before I was de-commissioned.” He tilts his head like a human would. “Eduard, thank you for giving me this life.”

For the first time in a long time, Eduard feels abandoned by his technology, his home, his escape. His head spins and spins. Ladonia tries reasoning with him, his voice the only thing that can touch him.

This time, though, it isn’t enough.

~~~

“So this is the guy you’re in love with?”

Eduard’s face turns crimson, and he hears Ladonia’s “huh?”.

“Feliks, shut up,” he whispers harshly.

“Even Raivis knows, and he’s still in the motherland.”

Toris chuckles at the mention of his little brother, and turns to the laptop at the head of the table. “Anyway, it’s nice to finally meet you, Ladonia.”

Ladonia nods back. “A pleasure.”

“I don’t believe, though,” –and Toris stares right at Eduard across the table where the three eat their meals together – “that Eduard would privy us to his secret life without wanting something in return.”

Eduard shuffles. “You’re right about that,” and, with Ladonia chiming in, launches into their current situation and his scheme to solve everything.

“You’re insane,” Feliks says when they’re finished.

“Why? We still have the plans from when we were going to infiltrate Stor Företag the first time.”

“And I can help supplement any addition material,” Ladonia offers.

“No, I mean it’s a stupid idea because this time we’re trying to take something out, not put something in. It’s a hell of a lot more obvious if something’s missing than slipped in with so much other crap.”

Before being able to object to circuitry being called _crap_ , Toris points out another problem. “This’ll only work if you’re in there with us. And you have no experience in espionage.”

Ladonia frowns. “Do not worry. Eduard is very good with a gun.”

Toris and Feliks stare at each other and Eduard buries his head in his hands.

“Um, Ladonia,” Feliks starts, stops, scrambling for the right phrasing. “I don’t know what Eduard’s been telling you, but we don’t really use guns all that much...”

Thank god nobody can see Eduard’s bright face through his hands.

“But we’ll definitely try to save you,” Toris finishes. “For you, and for Eduard.”

“Even though we’re definitely going to get caught,” Feliks mutters.

~~~

“What’d I tell you?” Even with his arms straight up in the air, Feliks still manages to look indigent.

“Maybe we _should_ have brought guns,” Toris says, staring down the barrel of one held by a tall, stoic Stor Företag employee. “These guys did, and they’re _tech support_.”

His co-worker, short and with baby fat still around his cheeks, says “I vote we shoot out their kneecaps before turning them into the real security.”

“Oh god,” Eduard whimpers. An external hard drive loaded with Ladonia is clutched tight in one raised hand.

“Put that on the floor first, though,” orders Shortie, gesturing to Eduard’s hand. “Slowly, though.”

Eduard shakes his head back and forth violently. “No, you can’t, you don’t understand.”

The tall one is glancing at him from the corner of his eye. “Don’t understand what?”

“It’s all for love!” Feliks bursts out.

“Feliks, SHUT UP,” Eduard grinds out, but to no avail.

“His true love was held captive by Stor Företag, and this complete stranger – absolutely not associated with us two pros at all – was on his knees, begging for help to rescue his dearest! We would have been terrible, terrible people to deny to such a sad, pathetic face.”

“FELIKS,” Eduard barks at the same time Shortie says, “You know Ladonia?”

“What? Yes, yes!” Eduard turns fully to them. Neither has their gun trained on him, and that somehow gives him confidence. “We’ve been talking and gaming and spending time together for months! He – he said he was going to be deleted and,” he shakes his head, trying to get the thought out. “I couldn’t let that happen.”

The tall guy lowers his gun first. Shortie follows. “So you’re the one Ladonia always talks about.” Shortie points to himself, to his partner. “I’m Tino and this is Berwald,” and Eduard recognizes the names of Ladonia’s parents.

“Please. Please, you have to help me.” Eduard is begging like in Feliks’s imagined tale. He’s ready to fall to his knees, when Berwald speaks up.

“We want to save ‘im to. But there’s just n’way. They’ll find ‘im. They’ll track ‘im. The only way to keep ‘im safe is to keep ‘im from the net. ‘Nd that’s just too cruel.”

“Please,” Eduard repeats again and again. “I’ll take that risk, please.”

“Sorry, kid.” Tino extends his hand.

Eduard shuffles over, like a condemned man to the noose. He holds up the hard drive, Ladonia, and kisses it, whispers, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” before Tino gently pries it from his hands.

“You kids seem like you have good intentions. So we’ll help you out.” Tino says. Of course Toris and Feliks jump on the opportunity.

But Eduard feels like he’s leaving a part of his heart behind.

~~~

Months later, and Felik drops a mailed package on Eduard’s desk hoping that this might pull him out of his funk.

Eduard is in a mood, and would have left the package sitting there for days to torment his already anguished soul. However, he sees the return address and rips it open.

 _We love him_ , the letter says. _If we can’t keep him, we’d rather him be with someone who does. Someone who will keep him safe_.

He plugs the 10 gigabyte jumpdrive into his computer, hardly daring to breathe.

A few clicks, and the program is installing itself, establishing a connection, digging like roots into Eduard’s hard drive.

The display flickers and suddenly Ladonia is there, filling the screen, filling Eduard’s vision.

He doesn’t know what to say. His mind jolts back to the note. “It’s not like I love you or anything.”

“Well that’s too bad.” Ladonia grins. “‘Cause I’m totally in love with you.”

“Dork,” Eduard says, but can’t keep the grin off his face either.


End file.
